Visor protector

ABSTRACT

The visor protector prevents a visor secured to a helmet from being scratched when not in use, such as during transportation thereof. The protector includes a protective member comprising an external and an internal protective shell, joined together at a common protective shell edge, hence forming V-shaped cross section and a trough-like channel. When the visor protector is installed on a visor, the external shell substantially entirely overlies the visor external surface, and the internal protective shell at least partially overlies the visor internal surface. To install the visor protector on a visor, the visor is inserted in the trough-like channel, slid along the external and internal protective shells, and the visor protector is then secured to the visor using one of several attachment methods.

CROSS-REFERENCE DATA

[0001] The present patent application is a continuation-in-part of aco-pending patent application Ser. No. 10/068,976 filed on Feb. 11, 2002(and allowed on Feb. 10, 2003), which is a continuation-in-part ofpatent application Ser. No. 09/833,714 filed on Apr. 13, 2001 (and nowabandoned).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to visor protectors and morespecifically to a protector that prevents a visor of a helmet from beingscratched, in particular when the latter is not being used.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] It is common for hockey players to be required to wear protectorssuch as helmets including a transparent visor and it is quite unpleasantto play with a helmet which visor has been scratched. Usually, a playercarries his helmet inside his sport bag along with multiple other piecesof equipment that could eventually damage the visor, it would thereforebe advisable for the player to be able to protect his visor againstpossible wears. For that reason a user may be forced to buy a new visorthat is quite expensive. Therefore preventing these visors from beingscratched is very important. The same situation is applicable todifferent helmets of the type used, for example, by cyclists or bysnowmobile drivers and the like cap visors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention relates to a visor protector for releasableattachment to a visor mounted on a helmet, the visor being of the typedefining opposite first and second visor surfaces, said visor protectorcomprising:

[0005] a generally elongated and cross-sectionally V-shaped protectivemember comprising:

[0006] a web,

[0007] a first sheet-like protective shell for substantially entirelyoverlying the visor first surface, said first protective shell defininga main edge integrally attached to said web and a first shell area, and

[0008] a second sheet-like protective shell defining a main edgeintegrally attached to said web and a second shell area, said secondshell area being at least a non-negligible fraction of said first shellarea, for allowing said second shell to overlie at least anon-negligible portion of the visor second surface;

[0009] a trough-like visor channel formed between said first and secondprotective shell; and

[0010] a releasable attachment member, for releasably attaching saidprotective member to a selected one of the visor and the helmet when thevisor is in said visor channel.

[0011] In one embodiment, said attachment member comprises at least oneresilient clamp carried by said protective member, each said at leastone clamp comprising a web portion and parallel first and a secondfinger portions continuously biased towards each other, said clamp webportion being adjacent to said protective member web, with said clampfirst finger portion extending along said first shell and with saidclamp second finger portion extending along said second shell, with saidfirst and second protective shells being movable about said protectivemember web and with said clamp continuously biasing said first andsecond protective shells towards each other.

[0012] In one embodiment, said protective member is made from a flexiblefabric material.

[0013] In one embodiment, the visor protector further comprises at leastone semi-rigid resilient guide carried within said first protectiveshell, each one of said at least one guide extending from acorresponding one of said at least one clamp along said first protectiveshell and being destined to continuously bias said first protectiveshell towards the visor external surface.

[0014] In one embodiment, said attachment member comprises at least onehook-and-loop type fastener attached to said protective member forreleasably attaching said protective member to the visor.

[0015] In one embodiment, said first protective shell is connected tosaid second protective shell by means of a seam longitudinally orientedalong said protective member web, said first and said second protectiveshells being stitched together by said seam.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016]FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of a visor protectoraccording to the present invention overlaid on the visor of a helmet;

[0017]FIG. 1a is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing the protectorattaching means secured to another possible attaching location on thehelmet;

[0018]FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing the protectorattaching means including a third elongated strap;

[0019]FIG. 2a is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the third strap inanother possible attaching location on the helmet;

[0020]FIG. 3 is a front view of another embodiment of a visor protectoraccording to the present invention overlaid on the visor having a lowerwire shield section integrated therewith;

[0021]FIG. 4 is a section view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

[0022]FIG. 4a is a section view taken along line 4 a-4 a of FIG. 3a;

[0023]FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing the protectorattaching means including an extension strap;

[0024]FIG. 6 is a back view of another embodiment of a visor protectoraccording to the present invention, illustrating a protective memberhaving protective external and internal shells;

[0025]FIG. 6a is a section view taken along line 6 a-6 a of FIG. 6;

[0026]FIG. 6b, 6 c, 6 d, 6 e, 6 f, 6 g and 6 h are section views similarto FIG. 6a, showing different embodiments of the shell connection means;

[0027]FIG. 7 is a broken view of the extension strap of FIG. 2;

[0028]FIG. 7a is an exploded side view of a different snap device;

[0029]FIG. 8 is a back view similar to FIG. 6, showing the addition of athird elongated strap;

[0030]FIG. 9 is an exploded back view similar to FIG. 8, showing theembodiment of FIG. 3 with the protective internal shell detachable fromthe protective external shell;

[0031]FIG. 10a is a front perspective view of a visor protectoraccording to another embodiment of the present invention operativelyinstalled on a visor;

[0032]FIG. 10b is a rear perspective view of the visor protector of FIG.10a;

[0033]FIG. 10c is a sectional view taken along line 10 c-10 c of FIG.10b, with an arrow suggesting the movement of a foldable part of ahook-and-loop type fastener;

[0034]FIG. 11a is a front perspective view of a visor protectoraccording to yet another embodiment of the present invention operativelyinstalled on a visor;

[0035]FIG. 11b is a side perspective view of the visor protector of FIG.11a, the outer layer of the external protective shell being partiallybroken for showing the inside content of the external protective shell;and

[0036]FIG. 11c is sectional view taken along line 11 c-11 c of the FIG.11b.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0037] With reference to the annexed drawings, the preferred embodimentsof the present invention will be herein described for indicativepurposes and by no means as of limitation.

[0038] Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an embodiment 10 of a visorprotector according to the present invention for preventing a visor 20attached to a helmet 30 from being scratched when unused.

[0039] The visor 20 defines a visor external surface 21 and an opposedvisor internal surface 22, generally facing outwardly and inwardlyrelative to the helmet 30, respectively. The visor external 21 andinternal 22 surfaces define a common visor main edge 23, generally free,and a generally opposed common visor attaching edge 24. The latterattaches to the helmet 30.

[0040] The visor protector 10 includes a generally elongated protectivemember 40 that includes a protective external shell 50, preferablyflexible, configured and sized to substantially entirely overlie thevisor external surface 21. The protective external shell 50 defines anexternal shell main edge 51, a generally opposed external shellauxiliary edge 52 and a pair of generally opposed external shelllongitudinal side edges 53, 54 adjacent the external shell main edge 51.

[0041] The visor protector 10 also includes a protector attaching means70 to releasably attach the protective member 40 to the helmet 30 whenthe protective external shell 50 overlies the visor external surface 21.The protector attaching means 70 is configured and sized to bias theprotective external shell 50 in pressurizing configuration against thevisor external surface 21, as illustrated by arrows A.

[0042] The protector attaching means 70 can include a pair of elongatedstretchable straps 72, each defining a strap first end 73 and agenerally opposed strap second end 74. The strap first ends 73 attach tothe protective external shell 50 preferably adjacent a respectiveexternal shell side edge 53, 54. The strap second ends 74 releasablyattach to the helmet 30. The stretchable straps 72 bias the protectiveexternal shell 50 in the pressurizing configuration against the visorexternal surface 21 when in streched configuration.

[0043] Protector attaching means 70 includes a fastener 90 slidablymounted on each strap 70 adjacent the strap second ends 74 to attach tothe helmet 30. Each fastener 90 includes a base 91 with a snap 92located thereon, as better illustrated in FIG. 4. The base 91 of thefastener 90 allows adjustment of the position of the fastener 90 alongthe strap 72. The fastener snap 92 is adapted to releasably interconnectwith complementary snap devices 96 secured to the helmet 30. Althoughthe snap devices 96 are part of the protector attachment means 70, theyare usually found already installed in place as parts of the helmets 30such as helmets for hockey.

[0044] Each snap device 96, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 7a, caninclude a button 97 for complementary engagement with the fastener snap92 and a stud 98 for securing the button 97 to the helmet 30.

[0045] Especially for cases where no snap devices 96 are present on thehelmet 30, the protector attaching means 70 further includes anextension stretchable strap 75, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7. The extensionstretchable strap 75 defines two opposed strap free ends 76, each havinga snap device 96 slidably mounted thereon adjacent a respective strapfree end 76. Accordingly, each extension strap free end 76 attaches to arespective second end 74 of the pair of straps 72 so as to releasablyembrace the helmet 30 to bias the protective external shell 50 in thepressurizing configuration against the visor external surface 21 when instretched configuration.

[0046] Usually, the different types of helmets 30 comprise a pluralityof vent openings 34 located thereon. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3,the fastener 90 could also be a hook 92 a adapted to anchor to arespective vent opening 34.

[0047] The fastener 90 could also be a first part of a hook-and-looptype fastener (not shown) for attaching to a complementary second partof the hook-and-loop type fastener (not shown) secured to the helmet 30.

[0048] In most helmets 30 known in the art, visor main edge 21 is a freeedge.

[0049] Protective member 40 of a second embodiment 10 a of a visorprotector according to the present invention shown in FIG. 6 furtherincludes a flexible protective internal shell 60, for at least partiallycovering the visor internal surface 22 as partially illustrated in FIG.4a. The protective internal shell 60 defines an internal shell main edge61 longitudinally extending adjacent the external shell main edge 51, agenerally opposed internal shell auxiliary edge 62 and a pair ofgenerally opposed internal shell longitudinal side edges 63, 64,adjacent the internal shell main edge 61.

[0050] The protective member 40 also includes a shell connecting means80 for connecting the internal shell main edge 51 to the external shellmain edge 61 so as to form a transversal V-shaped cross-section 42 ofthe protective member 40 adapted to receive the visor free edge 23therein when the protective external shell 50 overlies the visorexternal surface 21.

[0051] As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 6a, the protective internal shell60 integrally extends from the protective external shell 50 andlongitudinally folds over along a fold line 44, as part of the shellconnecting means 80. The fold line 44 essentially forms both internalshell main edge 61 and external shell main edge 51. The shell connectingmeans preferably includes a stitch line 82 extending along the fold line44 to reinforce the latter and to ensure that the protective member 40keeps its transversal V-shaped cross-section 42.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 8, the internal shell side edges 63, 64 at leastpartially and longitudinally extend adjacent the external shell sideedges 53, 54 and partially connect hereto. The shell connecting means 80further includes two side stitch lines 83, 84 oriented along theinternal 60 shells to each other.

[0053]FIGS. 6a through 6 h show alternate shell connecting means 80 usedto obtain the transversal V-shaped cross section 42. With semi-rigidtype material used for both the protective external 40 and internal 60shells, the protective member 40 could be simply pre-shaped asillustrated in FIGS. 6b and 6 g. Only stitches 82, 83, 84 could beconsidered to connect the two protective external 40 and internal 60shells together, as shown in FIGS. 6d and 6 h. As illustrated in FIGS.6c and 6 e, a reinforcing elongated connecting piece 86 could also beused at the external 51 and internal 61 shell main edges.

[0054] For the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 6f and 9, due to a lowerwire shield section 25 integrated to the visor 20 and extending from itsmain edge 23 as shown in FIG. 3, the protective external 50 and internal60 shells are releasably connected to each other to ease theinstallation of the protector 10 on the visor 20. Accordingly, the shellconnecting means 80 includes complementary parts 88 a, 88 b of ahook-and-loop type fastener 88 or the like secured to the respectiveprotective external 50 and internal 60 shells.

[0055] As shown in FIGS. 2, 2a, 3, 4 a, 8 and 9, the protector attachingmeans 70 further includes a third elongated stretchable strap 77. Thethird stretchable strap 77 defines a third strap first end 78 and agenerally opposed third strap second end 79. The third strap first end78 attaches to the protective external shell 50 adjacent the externalshell auxiliary edge 52, and the third strap second end 79 releasablyattaches to the helmet 30. The third stretchable strap 77 biases theprotective external shell 50 in pressurizing configuration against thevisor external surface 21 and the visor free edge 23 inside thetransversal V-shaped cross-section 42 of the protective member 40 whenit is in stretched configuration.

[0056] Similarly to the pair of straps 72, the third strap 77 includes afastener 90 slidably mounted thereon adjacent the third strap second end79 for attachment to the helmet 30. Referring to FIG. 2a, the fastener90 is a hook 92 a adapted for anchoring to a rear edge 35 of the helmet30.

[0057] In another embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6g, the protectiveinternal 60 and external 50 shells are made out of a resilient rigidtype material such as thermo-plastics or the like.

[0058] Accordingly, the protective internal shell 60 defines a concaveportion 66 longitudinally extending adjacent the internal shellauxiliary edge 62. The apex region 67 of the concave portion 66substantially resiliently abuts against the protective external shell 50adjacent the external shell auxiliary edge 52 so as to form a receivingmouth 68 of the transversal V-shaped cross-section 42 for receiving thevisor free edge 23 therein. The fold line 44 essentially forms a hingetype connecting means 80 to enable the protective member 40 toresiliently clamp on the visor 20 with the concave portion 66 of theprotective internal shell 60 resiliently abutting against the visorinternal surface 22.

[0059] The protective external 50 and internal 60 shells respectivelydefine an external 55 and an internal 65 shell inner surface for facingthe visor external 21 and internal 22 surfaces, respectively. Theexternal 55 and internal 65 shell inner surfaces are preferably coveredwith a felt type material 49 as illustrated in FIG. 6h to minimizescratches on the visor external 21 and internal 22 surfaces, when theprotective member 40 is in place protecting the visor 20.

[0060] For the embodiment 10 with only the protective external shell 50,the external shell inner surface 55 preferably provides for a frictionalcontact with the visor external surface 21 to prevent sliding off theprotective member 40 therefrom, such as provided by rubber or leathertype materials.

[0061] The visor protector 10 of the present invention can be made outof different types of leather or the like cloth type materials, such astransparent or translucent materials.

[0062] The straps 72, 75 and 77 can be made out of an elastic typematerial.

[0063] In use, the visor protector 10 is placed over the visor 20 so asto cover the same within the protective member 40 that specificallycovers the visor external surface 21 with its protective external shell50 and the visor internal surface 22 with its protective internal shell60. The protector attaching means 70 is attached to the helmet 30 withthe visor 20 being in its closed (or in-use) position. In that position,it is substantially impossible for the visor protector 10 to fall offfrom the visor 20, thus protecting the latter from being scratched byany object that can potentially get in contact with the helmet 30.Decorations or advertising may be readily applied to the protector 10,if required.

[0064] In FIGS. 10a-10 c and 11 a-11 c, there is shown a visor 20 asdefined hereinabove, meant to be installed on a helmet (not shown inFIGS. 10a-11 c). As set forth in the above specifications, visor 20comprises external and internal visor surfaces 21 and 22 respectively, avisor free main edge 23 and a visor attaching edge 24. Moreover, visor20 comprises an arcuate rod 26 spacedly extending over attaching edge 24between the two visor attaching edge 24 end portions to which the rodextremities are integrally fixed. Rod 26 is further attached to visor 20by means of a number of ribs 27, spaced-apart along rod 26 andintegrally linking rod 26 to visor attaching edge 23. The relativearrangement of rod 26, visor attaching edge 24 and ribs 27 forms anumber of openings 28. Attachment means (not shown) allow visor 20 to beattached to a helmet, as shown in FIG. 1 for example.

[0065] In an alternate embodiment of the present invention depicted inFIGS. 10a-10 c, wherein primed reference numerals refer to similarelements in the previous embodiments of FIGS. 1-9, visor protector 10′comprises a protective member 40′ which can be made out of a flexiblefabric material for example, with external and internal sheet-likeshells 50′ and 60′ respectively. External shell 50′ defines a shellinner surface 55′, a main edge 51′ and an auxiliary edge 52′ locatedopposite main edge 51′; internal shell 60′ defines a shell inner surface65′, a main edge 61′ and an auxiliary edge 62′ located opposite mainedge 61′. Shells 50′, 60′ are attached together at the vicinity of theirmain edges 51′ and 61′. Protective member 40′ thus forms a V-shapedcross section, defining a web 106′ formed at the vicinity of theattachment between shells 51′, 61′, and a trough-like channel 105′.Visor protector 20′ further comprises an attachment member 70′ thatcomprises two spaced-apart hook-and-loop type fasteners 101′. A firstpart 103′ of each hook-and-loop type fastener 101′ is attached on thesurface of external shell 50′ opposite external shell inner surface 55′,at the vicinity of auxiliary edge 52′ thereof; a second part 102′ ofeach fastener 101′ is attached to an elongated strap 104′, with strap104′ being attached to the inner surface of internal shell 60′ at thevicinity of the auxiliary edge 62′ thereof.

[0066] Accordingly, visor protector 10′ can be releasably installed on avisor 20. To achieve this installation, visor 20 is inserted in channel105′ and slid between shells 50′, 60′ until visor main edge 23 abutsagainst web 106′, in order for external shell 50′ to be juxtaposed withvisor external surface 21, and in order for internal shell 60′ to bejuxtaposed with visor internal surface 22. Thereafter, strap 104′ ofeach hook-and-loop type fastener 101′ is extended through a registeringopening 28 of visor 20. If visor 20 is not provided with such openings28, strap 102′ is extended through the gap formed between visorattaching edge 24 and the frontal edge of the helmet on which it isinstalled. Then, strap 104′ is folded back and applied on part 103′ ofattaching member 70′ as suggested by the double-sided arrow of FIG. 10c,in order for first and second parts 102′ and 103′ of the hook-and-looptype fastener to be releasably bound together. Thereby, protector 10 isreleasably secured to visor 10.

[0067] In yet another embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS.11a-11 c, wherein double-primed reference numerals refer to similarelements in the previous embodiments of FIGS. 10a-10 c, external andinternal shells 50″ and 60″ define an outer layer 50 a″, 60 a″ and aninner layer 50 b″, 60 b″ respectively. Indeed, protective member 40″ iscomposed of two layers stitched together along their respectiveperipheral edges, and folded along a fold line corresponding to web106″, and are kept in this folded configuration by means of anadditional seam applied along this fold line. One of the folded portionsthus forms double-layered external shell 50″, and the other foldedportion forms double-layered internal shell 60″. In-between layers 50a″, 50 b″ of shell 50″ and layers 60 a″, 60 b″ of shell 60″, protectivemember 40″ can optionally be filled with padding (not shown) for furtherprotection of visor 20.

[0068] In this embodiment of FIGS. 11a-11 c, attachment member 70″comprises two clamps 110″ made from a resilient material, for exampleplastic or metal. Each clamp 110″ comprises a web 110 c″, withsubstantially parallel external and internal fingers 110 a″ and 110 b″extending therefrom that are continuously biased towards each other.

[0069] Each clamp 110″ is carried within double-layered protectivemember 40″ transversally to web 106″ and is arranged therein in orderfor its web 110 c″ to be located adjacent protective member web 106″, inorder for external finger 110 a″ to be fitted between layers 50 a″, 50b″ of external shell 50″ and to extend towards the external shellauxiliary edge 52″, and for internal finger 110 b″ to be fitted betweenlayers 60 a″, 60 b 41 of internal shell 60″ and to extend towards theinternal shell auxiliary edge 62″.

[0070] To ensure that the entire length of the inner surface 55″ ofexternal shell 50″ remains closely applied on visor external surface21″, two guides 118″ are further provided and arranged diagonally withinexternal shell 50″, between layers 50 a″ and 50 b″. Each guide 118″extends between one of the two intersections between main edge 51″ andclamp external portion 110 a″, and a corresponding intersection betweenside edge 53″ (or 54″) and auxiliary edge 52″ of shell 50″. Guides 118″are made from a semi-rigid resilient material, for example metal orplastic, and can thus continuously bias the side portions of protectivemember 40″ extending outwardly from clamps 110″ towards the visorexternal surface 21.

[0071] Hence, visor protector 10″ can be releasably installed on visor20. To achieve this installation, protector 10″ is inserted in insertionchannel 105″ and slid along visor 20 until visor main edge 23 abutsagainst web 106″, in order for external shell 50″ to be juxtaposed withvisor external surface 21, and in order for internal shell 60″ to bejuxtaposed with visor internal surface 22. During the insertion of visor20 in-between external and internal shells 50″, 51″, external andinternal clamp portions 110 a″, 110 b″ of both clamps 110″ are spreadapart against the bias of resilient webs 110 c″. Thus, clamps 110″ willbias shells 50″ and 60″ towards one another and against the visorexternal and internal surfaces 21 and 22, respectively. Under thepressurizing biasing action of clamps 110″, protective member 40″ willbe releasably frictionally installed on visor 20. Moreover, under theaction of guides 118″, the protector external shell 50″ will be closelyapplied on the entire length of visor external surface 21, hencepreventing the entire visor external surface 21 from being scratched.

[0072] The relative dimensioning of shells 50, 60 will now be discussed(this is also valid for shells 50′, 50″, 60′, 60″ of the otherembodiments). When a visor-provided helmet is stored in a duffel bag,for example, visor external surface 21 is the portion of the visor thatis most exposed to scratch hazards. For example, a hockey skatecomprising a sharp blade can permanently damage visor external surface21. To prevent such scratches, external shell 50 is shaped and sized tosubstantially entirely overlie visor external surface 21; a smallperipheral portion of visor external surface 21 can remain uncovered byshell 50, as different visor models have different shapes anddimensions, and anodyne shape incompatibilities may occur.

[0073] On the other hand, visor internal surface 22 is also exposed toscratch hazards that are however likely to be less frequent andimportant than those threatening visor external surface 21. When visor20 is operatively installed on the helmet, the only way to gain accessto the interior of the helmet, and thus to visor internal surface 22, isthrough the neck opening of the helmet, which can be formed partly bymain edge 23 of visor 20 on some helmets. Hence, the portion of visorinternal surface 22 adjacent main edge 23 of visor 20 is more likely toget damaged than the portion adjacent visor attaching edge 24.

[0074] Moreover, in some helmet configurations, a portion of the helmetabove its frontal edge may underlie a portion of visor 20 adjacent visorattaching edge 24, if visor 20 is attached to the helmet above thehelmet's frontal edge portion. Consequently, this upper portion of visorinternal surface 22 which overlies the frontal edge portion of thehelmet, may not be covered by internal shell 60 since internal shell 60would be blocked from passage beyond the helmet frontal edge. In anyevent, this upper portion of visor internal surface 22 is not comprisedwithin the usable visor viewing area of visor 20, so damage to this areawould not impair the viewing capacity through visor 20.

[0075] Thus, in some embodiments, internal shell 60 will not cover theentire internal visor surface 22 due to internal shell designs that aresized to cover only the accessible portion of the visor internal surface22 or only a portion thereof. The area of internal shell 60 is hencesmaller than that of external shell 50 which is intended to coversubstantially entirely the visor external surface 21. However, oneimportant purpose of internal shell 60 is to protect visor internalsurface 22, and thus internal shell 60 must be sized to offer anon-insignificant protection against macroscopic objects such as hockeyskates that could impact on visor internal surface 22. Internal shell 60is consequently shaped in order to cover and protect at least anon-negligible portion of visor internal surface 22 and more especiallyat least a portion thereof adjacent visor main edge 21. Consequently, itcan be said that the area of internal shell 60 represents at least anon-negligible fraction of that of external shell 50.

[0076] In one embodiment, internal shell 60 is smaller than externalshell 50 but still covers the entire accessible portion of visorinternal surface 22. In another embodiment, external and internal shells50, 60 have a same area.

[0077] The fact that the area of internal shell 60 represents at least anon-negligible fraction of that of external shell 50 moreover allows asnug and stable installation of protective member 40 on visor 20.Indeed, when protector 10 is installed on visor 20, protective member 40covers a significant portion of both external and internal surfaces 21,22 of visor 20. The engagement of visor 20 into the protective membertrough-like channel 105′ provides a stable abutment of protective memberweb 106′ against the visor free main edge 23. This, in combination withthe fact that the protective member internal and external shells 50, 60extend on either sides of visor 20, will help prevent accidentaldisengagement of protective member 40 from visor 20 when the former isattached to the latter with a suitable attachment member such as anattachment member described in one of the embodiments disclosed herein.Therefore, once protector 10 has been secured to visor 10 withattachment member 70, unsolicited disengagement of the visor 20 fromprotector 10 is unlikely.

[0078] Although the present visor protector has been described with acertain degree of particularity it is to be understood that thedisclosure has been made by way of example only and that the presentinvention is not limited to the features of the embodiments describedand illustrated herein, but includes all variations and modificationswithin the scope and spirit of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

1. A visor protector for releasable attachment to a visor mounted on ahelmet, the visor being of the type defining opposite first and secondvisor surfaces, said visor protector comprising: a generally elongatedand cross-sectionally V-shaped protective member comprising: a web, afirst sheet-like protective shell for substantially entirely overlyingthe visor first surface, said first protective shell defining a mainedge integrally attached to said web and a first shell area, and asecond sheet-like protective shell defining a main edge integrallyattached to said web and a second shell area, said second shell areabeing at least a non-negligible fraction of said first shell area, forallowing said second shell to overlie at least a non-negligible portionof the visor second surface; a trough-like visor channel formed betweensaid first and second protective shell; and a releasable attachmentmember, for releasably attaching said protective member to a selectedone of the visor and the helmet when the visor is in said visor channel.2. A visor protector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said attachmentmember comprises at least one resilient clamp carried by said protectivemember, each said at least one clamp comprising a web portion andparallel first and a second finger portions continuously biased towardseach other, said clamp web portion being adjacent to said protectivemember web, with said clamp first finger portion extending along saidfirst shell and with said clamp second finger portion extending alongsaid second shell, with said first and second protective shells beingmovable about said protective member web and with said clampcontinuously biasing said first and second protective shells towardseach other.
 3. A visor protector as claimed in claim 2, wherein saidprotective member is made from a flexible fabric material.
 4. A visorprotector as claimed in claim 3, further comprising at least onesemi-rigid resilient guide carried within said first protective shell,each one of said at least one guide extending from a corresponding oneof said at least one clamp along said first protective shell and beingdestined to continuously bias said first protective shell towards thevisor external surface.
 5. A visor protector as claimed in claim 1,wherein said attachment member comprises at least one hook-and-loop typefastener attached to said protective member for releasably attachingsaid protective member to the visor.
 6. A visor protector as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said first protective shell is connected to said secondprotective shell by means of a seam longitudinally oriented along saidprotective member web, said first and said second protective shellsbeing stitched together by said seam.